“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (NRSV, Matthew 6:21). The echo of Jesus’ words from chapter 6 in Matthew continues to reverberate through the end of Matthew’s gospel story.
Now, most of us get this saying all wrong. We tend to hear, “Where your heart is, that is where your treasure will be.” In other words, if you desire your feet to look good, you will fill your closet with shoes. Who has a closet of shoes? Guys, you do not get off that easy. Who has a dedicated cabinet full of guns? Kids, who has a homescreen full of games? See?
Though all of that might be true, that is not what Jesus is talking about. He is talking about something much deeper, and it has to do with who you are.
Jesus says that where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be found. In other words, your heart does not collect treasure, rather treasure collects your heart.
For example, let us say that you buy a house because your family is suddenly growing. Very soon, you will see the house overtake your life. It requires repairs. It requires adjustments and additions. It gets painted your favorite colors. It gets filled with your favorite things. It smells of your favorite smells. It becomes “home.” It is where you belong. It is where the world is right. It defines you. It overtakes you. It takes your heart.
You do not believe me? If your home’s ability to claim you was not so strong, why then does God have to try to persuade you in the gospel of John that your true home is a heavenly home? Why does Jesus have to try to persuade you that there is a room for you in his house?
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Another way to say this is: “Who has your wallet?” “Who or what has laid claim to you?” “Who or what controls you?”
Those who have dealt with addiction understand these questions well. When all of your resources go toward your drug of choice rather than paying for your child’s food or clothing, it is easy to see how your treasure controls your heart.
In a way, the Pharisees (who have set themselves against Jesus’ ministry) are trying to take Jesus down by asking the sort of questions.
“Jesus, who has your wallet?” “Who controls you?”
The Pharisees send their disciples to ask Jesus about paying taxes to Rome. Understand, that these disciples hate the violence tinted peace, power, and blatant idolatry of Rome. But, the Pharisees also send the Herodians to join in the conversation. The Herodians actually yearn for the influence of Rome. These are strange discussion partners, but you will understand why they were sent in a second.
You see, if Jesus says that taxes should be paid to Rome, everyone will know that Rome has Jesus’ wallet…that Rome controls him. He can, therefore, be dealt with as a traitor to God. If Jesus says that taxes should not be paid to Rome, though Jesus may have established that God controls his wallet, the Herodians are standing right there to hear of his treason against Rome. Either way, Jesus loses.
The Pharisees do not actually care about who has Jesus’ wallet. They just care that he loses. I wonder who has their wallet? I wonder who controls them?
Jesus wonders the same thing. Jesus makes a request, “Show me the coin used for the tax." The disciples of the Pharisees bring him a denarius. This actually means something. Rather than saying, “Sorry, all we have are shekels because we can’t carry a denarius since it blatantly states that Caesar is God,” they reach in their pockets and bring out the blasphemous coin.
Sometimes, someone has your wallet and you do not even realize it. Sometimes our devotion toward a false god is so sinister that we do not even see that it has happened. How many of us have placed more trust in political leaders and their political parties than we have placed in God, without even realizing that we have done so?
“Whose head and whose title” is inscribed on the coin? Jesus asks.
Of course, it is Caesars.
“Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." Jesus answers.
You may have noticed that Jesus does not actually straight out answer the question about paying taxes. He does not actually care to give a clear answer because Jesus is a lot more interested in questions like these: Do you give to God all that is God’s? “Who has control of your life?” “Who has your wallet?”
I cannot answer those questions for you. Those questions are for your own reflection. Those questions are intended to guide your own faith struggle. But, there is one thing that I can answer for you: I know to whom you belong.
The Roman coin may have had Caesar’s head inscribed on it, it may have belonged to Caesar, but I know who is inscribed upon you, and I do know to whom you belong.
In your baptism, a cross was inscribed on your forehead. As the holy waters ran down your head and covered your soul, you were claimed as a sibling with Christ and you were made to belong to him.
Caesar may own some worthless coins, but you are owned by the creator and savoir of the world. You belong to Christ, in him you have been baptized. Alleluia!
And, if you belong to Christ, so does your wallet, and so does your clothes, and your food, and your home, and your lawn mower, and your dance shoes, and your paint brushes and even your chocolate.
You are Jesus’ treasure, and Jesus is yours.
“Where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be found.”
We are Jesus’ beloved treasure, and his heart has clung to us, caring about us and loving us even to the point of dying for us on a cross.
Who does that? Who gives their life for others?
Jesus did, and he is our treasure. Our hearts and every aspect of our lives belong to him. May we never forget to whom we belong. May we never forget our treasure, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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